Emergency Fund Launches to Bridge U.S. Foreign Aid Freeze Gap, Donors Called on to Help Frontline Organizations

Emergency bridge fund rallies donors to sustain vital services as high-impact, frontline organizations face funding gaps due to U.S. foreign aid freeze

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Unlock Aid, in collaboration with key partners, has launched The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund (www.foreignaidbridgefund.org), an emergency initiative to support frontline organizations affected by the ongoing U.S. foreign aid freeze. The fund aims to prevent disruption of critical services to millions of vulnerable people worldwide.

Within days of its soft launch, the Fund has already received more than 150 emergency funding requests ranging from $15,000 to $20 million, demonstrating the urgent need for bridge financing.

"The U.S. foreign aid freeze has created an unprecedented crisis for frontline, local organizations delivering essential services to their communities in healthcare, education, and humanitarian assistance," said Dr. Alix Peterson Zwane, a member of the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund Investment Committee and Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, "The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund provides a rapid response mechanism to keep these vital operations running."

"This bridge fund is a lifeline in a time when foreign aid is under scrutiny," said Ineza Mutimura, Co-Founder and CEO of Funders of African Descent, and member of the Investment Committee. "It delivers critical, life-saving resources fast, proving that locally-led organizations can be trusted, vetted, and funded efficiently to make an immediate impact when it’s needed most.”

The Fund specifically targets high-impact frontline organizations that:
– Deliver proven, cost-effective interventions at scale
– Have had their operations curtailed by the U.S. foreign aid freeze
– Work directly with communities rather than as intermediaries
– Maintain sustainable business models
– Have been previously vetted by major philanthropies, governments, or other funders
– Work in fields including health, water, agriculture, food security, sanitation, climate adaptation, livelihoods, education, and humanitarian response

Among the more than 150 funding requests received, urgent needs include:

Health:
– Zimbabwe: $150,000 to maintain HIV, TB, and mental health services for 30,000 children and adolescents through community health worker networks
– Nigeria & Kenya: $348,000 to prevent disruptions in HIV prevention and treatment services delivered through community-based organizations
– Uganda: $150,000 to sustain critical malaria testing and treatment for infants and expectant mothers

Research and Innovation:
– Ghana: $225,000 to complete a randomized control trial evaluating new approaches to increase malaria vaccine uptake

Emergency Response:
– Southeast Asia: $204,000 to provide continued life-saving assistance to war-displaced refugees

The Fund's distinguished Investment Committee includes global leaders in philanthropy and development:
– Dr. Alix Peterson Zwane, Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University and former CEO of Global Innovation Fund
– Almaz Negash, Founder and CEO of Africa Diaspora Network
– Ineza Mutimura, Co-Founder and CEO of Funders of African Descent (FoAD)
– Dr. Krishna Jafa, CEO of Precision Global Health, LLC
– Laliteswar Kumar, CEO of Wise Scale
– Phyllis Costanza, Chief Social Investment Officer at APM Social Investment Solutions & Former CEO of UBS Optimus Foundation
– Rohit Gawande, Senior Investment Principal at Mulago Foundation

This is not intended as a long-term funding source, but rather as critical, short-term grant-based financing to ensure immediate impact and program continuity for vetted organizations with sustainable business models.

Organizations and individuals interested in supporting The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund can make tax-deductible contributions by visiting www.foreignaidbridgefund.org.

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Unlock Aid is a coalition of 150+ social innovators working to unlock public resources to solve the world's greatest challenges. / www.unlockaid.org / press@unlockaid.org

Lindsay Beck
Unlock Aid
lindsay@unlockaid.org